TABLE OF MATTERS.

CHAPTER I.

THE VIRGIN MARY, HOLY FAMILY, CHRIST, AND THE CRUCIFIXION.

Heathen Knowledge about the Virgin, 1; Simeon’s Great Age, 2; Portraits of the Virgin, 2; Marriage of Joseph and Virgin Mary, 3; Massacre of Innocents, 4; Flight to Egypt, 5; Holy Family Leaving Egypt, 6; Assumption of Virgin Mary, 7; Christ Learning Alphabet, 9; Joseph and Jesus as Carpenters, 10; Christ’s Baptism, 10; Portraits of Christ, 11; King Agbarus, 12; Christ’s Preaching, 13; Sentence on Christ, 14; Christ Appearing to James, 14; Forms of Crosses, 15; The Holy Cross, 15; Thieves at Crucifixion, 16; Soldier who Pierced the Saviour’s Side, 17; Legend of the Cross, 17; Stations of Cross, 18; Crown of Thorns, 19; Apocryphal Gospels, 20; False Christs, 21; Septuagint Bible, 21; English Versions of Bible, 22.

CHAPTER II.

THE DISCIPLES AND APOSTLES OF OUR LORD.

Death of the Apostles, 23; Apostles who were Married, 23; St. Matthew and St. Mark, 24; St. Luke and St. Bartholomew, 25; St. Thomas and St. Simeon, 26; St. Timothy and St. Barnabas, 27; St. Titus, St. Philip, and St. Andrew, 28; James and John, 29; St. John the Apostle, 30; St. John and his Partridge, 31; St. John’s Last Days, 32; St. John and Edward the Confessor, 33; St. James the Less, 33; St. James the Great, 34; St. Peter and St. Paul, 36; Deaths of St. Peter and St. Paul, 37; St. Peter when in Rome, 38; Churches of St. Peter and St. Paul at Rome, 39; If St. Paul in Great Britain, 40; Judas Iscariot, 41.

CHAPTER III.

CHRIST’S CONTEMPORARIES—CLIMATE AND SCENERY OF PALESTINE.

Sages of Greece and Rome on Christian Prodigies, 42; Zacharias and John the Baptist, 44; Pontius Pilate, 45; Herod the Great, 46; Mary Magdalene, 47; St. Martha, 48; St. Veronica, 48; Hillel, 49; Sanhedrim, 49; Working Man in Christ’s Time, 50; Pharisaic Niceties, 50; Sieges of Jerusalem, 50; Antioch, 51; Palestine Explorations, 52; Jordan to the Dead Sea, 53; Sea of Galilee, 53; Sources of Jordan, 54; Waters of Merom, 55; Rivers of Damascus, 55; Populousness of Galilee, 56; Climate of Palestine, 57; Mount Hermon, 57; Lilies of the Field, 58; Wayside Fruits and Flowers, 58; The Birds, 59; Wild Beasts and Animals, 60; Jerusalem, 60; Nazareth, 61; Capernaum, 62.

CHAPTER IV.

EARLY CHURCH CUSTOMS, FASTS, AND FESTIVALS.

Church History Divided into Ages and Periods, 63; Apostolic Church, 64; The Millennium, 64; Community of Goods, 65; Emblems of Christians, 66; Christian Names, 66; Auricular Confession, 67; Religious Riots, 68; Preaching much Applauded, 68; Dress and Appearance of Clergy, 69; Priests and Deacons, 69; Early Bishops, 70; The Pastoral Staff, 71; Ancient Churches, 72; Deaconess, 72; Liturgy, 73; Ritualism, 74; The Mass, 74; Ancient Church Service, 75; Organs and Bells, 76; Separation of Sexes, 77; Praying for the Dead, 77; Sin-eaters at Funerals, 78; Praising the Lord Day and Night, 78; Christmas Day and Easter Day, 79; Festival of All Saints, 80; Holidays and Feasts, 80; Feast of the Ass, 81; The Boy Bishop, 81; Miracle Plays, 82; Passion Plays, 82; Festival of the Rose, 83; The Millennium, 84; Church Building Age, 84; Round Towers, 85; Worship of the Virgin, 85; Truce of God, 86; Number Seven in Scripture, 87; A Jubilee Year, 87; King’s Prayer for Rain, 89; The Black Death, 90; Dancing Mania, 91; Monk Flagellants, 91; Extravagant Dress, 92; Telling Fortunes, 93.

CHAPTER V.

DIFFICULTIES WITH PAGANS, JEWS, IMAGE WORSHIP, AND CIVIL POWERS.

The Name of Christian, 94; Early Pagan Riot, 94; Early Christians and Slavery, 95; The First Persecution, 96; How Christians Appeared to Pagans, 97; Shows of Wild Beasts, 97; Testing Fidelity of Christians, 98; Constantine the Great, 99; Standard of the Cross, 100; Dream of Constantine, 100; Constantine Preaching, 101; Last Illness of Constantine, 102; First Church Council, 102; Silencing the Pagans, 103; How to Refute a Heretic, 103; Julian the Apostate, 105; Theological Disputes, 105; Controversy about the Trinity, 106; Athanasius, 107; Sermon on the Trinity, 108; Against Demolishing Temples, 108; First Demolishing of Temples, 110; Image at the Palace, 111; St. Martin of Tours, 112; The King of the Goths, 112; Attila, King of the Huns, 113; Vandals Sacking Rome, 114; Justinian, 115; Mahomet’s Knowledge, 115; Oak of Geismar, 116; Pope Defending Rome, 117; Forged Decretals, 118; Separation of Greek and Latin Churches, 119; Jew and Christian, 119; Julian Inciting the Jews, 120; Hating the Jews, 121; Golden Age of Judaism, 121; The Pope and the Jews. 122; The Jews of York, 122; Jews Crucifying English Boy, 124; The Black Death, 124; Jews Stealing the Host, 125; Torquemada’s Zeal, 126; Jewish Physicians, 127; Converting a Jew, 128; Controversy about Image Worship, 129; The Iconoclasts, 130; John of Damascus, 131; Claudius of Turin, 133; Trying to Convert Image Worshippers, 134; Empress Irene, 135; Empress Theodora, 135; Image Worship in Spain, 136; Pope Hildebrand, 137; St. Thomas Aquinas, 137; The Popes as Temporal Princes, 139; Rienzi, 139; Last Hours of the Roman Empire, 140; Election to Holy Roman Empire, 141.

CHAPTER VI.

MARTYRS, HERMITS, ANCHORITES, AND RELICS.

Martyr Valeria, 142; St. Thecla and Polycarp, 143; St. Felicitas, 144; The Martyrs of Lyons, 144; St. Cecilia, 145; Perpetua, 146; St. Ursula, 146; St. Barbara, 147; Potamiana, 147; St. Genes the Actor, 148; Genesius, 148; St. Alban, 149; Didymus and Theodora, 149; St. Cyprian and Justina, 150; St. John Chrysostom, 150; St. James Intercisus, 151; Martyr for Image Worship, 151; Huss the Bohemian, 152; Joan of Arc a Modern Patriotic Martyr, 153; Joan’s Mission, 153; Joan taken Captive and Burnt, 159; Outbreak of Hermit Zeal, 160; First Monastic Life, 160; St. Antony, 161; Hermit Visiting, 161; Hermit and Grapes, 162; Hermit’s Courtesies, 162; Hermits’ Quarrel, 163; Political Economy of Hermits, 163; The Wise Sayings of St. Pambo, 164; A Hermit’s Olive Tree, 164; Macarius, 165; St. Martin of Tours, 165; Dorotheus, the Architect, 166; St. Pœmen, Prince of Hermits, 167; St. Moyses, Water-carrier, 167; Hermit’s New Austerities, 168; St. Carileff, 169; First Saxon Hermit, 169; St. Guthlac, 170; St. Simeon Stylites, 171; A Pillar Monk, 171; St. Herbert of Derwentwater, 171; St. Ethelwald at Farne, 172; English Queen Consulting Hermit, 174; Conscientious Hermit, 174; St. Bartholomew of Farne, 175; French King sends for Hermit, 176; Consecration of Hermits and Recluses, 177; St. Methodius the Martyr, 177; Miracles of Saints, 178; Local and Patron Saints, 179; St. Geneviève, 179; Reverence for Relics, 180; Secrecy in Removing Relics, 181; Capturing Holy Relics, 181; Stealing Relics, 182; Defending his Relics, 183; Forgery of Relics, 183; How to Flatter a Relic Worshipper, 184; Empress Begging for Relics, 185; If Genuine Relics, 185; The Crown of Thorns Pawned and Sold, 186; King of France shows Holy Cross, 187; Blood of Christ at Westminster, 188; St. Stephen’s Relics, 188; St. Dunstan, 189; John Huss on Relics, 190; Crucifix During the Plague, 190; Purchasing the Head of St. Andrew, 191; Pilgrimage to Walsingham, 191; Pilgrimage in Switzerland, 192; Pilgrims to Canterbury, 192.

CHAPTER VII.

THE FATHERS.

Origen, 194; St. Ambrose, 194; St. Jerome, 197; St. Jerome’s Reflections, 198; St. Jerome with Lion and Ass, 198; Deathbed of St. Jerome, 199; St. Jerome’s Epistles, 199; St. Chrysostom’s Eloquence, 200; St. Chrysostom on Monkery, 201; St. Augustine Witnessing Miracles, 202; Vision of St. Augustine, 203; St. Augustine’s Faith in Dreams, 203; St. Cyril of Alexandria, 204; Some Notions of the Fathers, 204.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE MONKS AND THEIR WAYS.

Origin of Monachism, 206; Miracles of Monks, 207; Philosophy of Monkery, 207; Motives for Monks, 208; Weak Side of, 208; St. Benedict, 209; The Reformers of Monkery, 209; Early Difficulties, 210; Advice to Monks, 211; A Monk Denounces Ferocity, 211; Making the Monks Work, 212; Improvements, 212; Monk at Court, 213; Monks First Drinking Wine, 214; Charlemagne about Monks, 214; Leaving Court to be Monk, 215; Monk going to Court, 215; The Reason of so many Monasteries, 216; Life in a Convent, 216; A Day’s life in Monastery, 217; Routine of English Monks, 218; Arrangements of an Abbey, 218; Monks and Friars, 219; Friars and Priests, 220; Enmity between Monks, 220; Monks Disliked by Clergy, 220; Monk who Wanted to be an Angel, 221; Death of Abbess at Aries, 221; Cædmon, Monk Poet, 222; Monk Sleeping too long, 223; Abbot lecturing his Monks, 223; The War of the two Abbots, 224; Monks and Gregorian Chant, 225; Those who Pillage Monks, 225; Monks to Live Frugally, 226; Monk’s Burial, 227; Sick Monks, 227; Monks Honour Rich Men, 228; Good Lessons of the Monks, 229; Pope Inviting a Fellow Monk, 229; Order of Friars, 230; Cinderella of the Convent, 230; Nuns at Sempringham, 231; Compunctious Visitings of Monks, 232; Monkery Worked Out, 232; War of the Nuns of Basle, 233; Stealing another Monk’s Food, 234; Monks Deciding on Creeds, 234; Monk Interceding for Prisoners, 235; How Carthusians Acquired a Site, 235; Luther at his Old Convent, 236; Monks and Polite Letters, 236; Literature about Saints, 237; Scriptorium in St. Gall, 237; Beautiful Manuscripts, 238; Penmanship of Monks, 239; Monasteries as Museums, 239; Embroidery of Nuns, 240; Monks at Missal Painting, 241; Music and Illuminating, 241.

CHAPTER IX.

PROSELYTISING MONKS AND PREACHERS.

Nun Converts the Iberians, 243; Fourth-century Missionary, 243; Sermon by St. Patrick, 244; Monk Warding Off Locusts, 244; First Planting the Cross in England, 245; Pope Gregory and England, 246; Impression on Saxon King, 247; Methodius Preaching, 247; Apostle of Switzerland, 248; St. Eligius, 248; Anschar the Apostle, 249; St. Neot, Cornish Saint, 250; Conversion of Russia, 251; Bishop Otto, 251; Norbert and Clerical Vices, 252; Fulk, 252; St. Dominic’s Zeal, 253; St. Francis of Assisium, 254; St. Francis tending the Lepers, 254; The Stigmata of St. Francis, 255; Biography of St. Francis, 256; St. Antony of Padua, 256; English Friars Disdained Shoes, 257; Raimund Lull, 258; St. Ignatius of Loyola, 259; St. Vincent de Paul, 260; Mediæval Missionaries, 261; Friar Startling Judges, 261; The Schoolmen, 262; Friars on Useless Ornaments, 262; Friar on Fashionable Vices, 263; Denouncing Female Headdresses, 263; Savonarola, 264.

CHAPTER X.

FAMOUS MONKS AND MONASTERIES.

A Monk with a Genius for Monkery, 266; St. Ninian, the Scottish Saint, 267; St. Mungo, 267; Monk Absenting Himself from Prayers, 268; Death of St. Benedict, 269; St. Columba of Iona, 269; Death of St. Columba, 270; The Monk Columban, 271; St. Aidan of Lindisfarne, 272; St. Chad, 273; St. Hilda, Abbess, 274; The Abbey and Monks of St. Gall, 274; The Venerable Bede, Monk and Historian, 275; St. Cuthbert Admitted Monk, 275; The Body of St. Cuthbert, 277; Deathbed of Venerable Bede, 278; A Warrior Duke becomes Monk, 280; The Swiss Abbey of Einsiedeln, 281; St. Meinrad, a Monk of the Alps, 282; Croyland Abbey Burnt, 283; Nuns of Coldingham, 283; Monks of Cluny, 281; St. Dunstan, Archbishop, 285; Monks of St. Bernard, 285; Chancellor becomes Monk, 286; Deathbed of Abbot Turketel, 286; Monk Nilus, 287; Monastery of Bec, 289; Fire at Crowland Abbey, 290; Monks of Vallombrosa, 291; A Monk Transcriber of Holy Books, 292; A Monk Musician, 293; Training of Monk Bishop, 293; Monk Abelard and Nun Heloïse, 294; Abelard and St. Bernard, 295; Abelard’s Last Days, 295; Order of Carthusians, 296; Order of Cistercians, 297; St. Bernard as a Young Monk, 297; St. Bernard as Abbot, 298; St. Bernard’s Miracles, 298; Bernard and his Sister, 299; Bernard and Peter the Venerable, 300; Schoolmen of Middle Ages, 301; Deathbed of Abbot, 302; Visions of Sister Hildegard, 302; Travelling to Rome, 303; Portrait of Abbot Sampson of St. Edmundsbury, 304; Monks Rebuilding their Altar, 305; Abbot Harassed with Cares, 306; Annoyed at Visit of the Legate, 307; Deathbed of Princess, 308; Stealing St. Antony’s Psalm Book, 308; Monk for a King, 309; Elizabeth of Hungary, 310; Panic among Saracens, 310; Fancies of the Starved Monk, 311; Monasteries of Mount Athos, 312; Monks of La Trappe, 312; Certosa Monastery, 313; Catherine of Siena, 314; Monks of Lucca, 314; Thomas à Kempis, 315; Peter of Alcantara, 316; Visions of St. Theresa, 317; The Emperor Monk, 318; Emperor Monk’s Dress, 319; His Apartments, 319; Detestation of Heretics, 320; Interest in Clock-making, 321; His Confessor, 321; His Choir, 322; At Dinner-time, 323; He Celebrates his own Funeral, 323; Funeral Sermon on Emperor Monk, 324.

CHAPTER XI.

SOME BISHOPS, KINGS, POPES, AND INQUISITORS.

Unity of the Clergy, 326; Supremacy of Pope, 326; Election of Popes, 328; Dress of Cardinals, 328; The Degraded Bishop, 329; Emperor and the First Abdication, 330; Bishop Building Workhouse, 330; Bishops Striving for a Site, 331; How Bishops were Made, 331; Fifth-century Bishop, 332; Putting Down Soothsayers, 338; Bishop Releasing Prisoners, 334; The King of the Gauls, 334; Pope Getting Rid of Pestilence, 335; Choosing Archbishop, 335; Pope Gregory and the Emperor, 336; John the Almsgiver, 337; Giving a Bishop a Horse, 338; A Christian’s Scruples, 339; A Model Churchman, 339; Why Pope’s Foot Kissed, 340; Agobard of Lyons, 340; St. Swithin, 341; King Alfred, 341; King Alfred’s Love of Reading, 342; Bishop at Head of Troops, 343; Two Scapegrace Popes, 344; The Ugliest Archbishop, 345; Bishop and Emperor’s Jokes, 345; King Canute, 346; Peasant Rebuking Bishop, 347; St. Margaret of Scotland, 348; Death of William the Conqueror, 348; English King Marrying Nun, 350; Awaking Bishop for Mass, 351; Anselm, Archbishop, 351; Saracen King by Divine Right, 352; Archbishop Turstin, 353; King John and the Bishop, 354; St. Thomas à Becket, 355; Monk Describes Papal Interdict, 356; Pope Punishing Kings, 357; Candid Friend to Pope, 358; Excommunication of Emperor, 359; Emperor Retaliating on Pope, 360; Pope’s Clerks Extorting Money, 360; Aerial Music at Bishop’s Death, 362; Fool Posing Theologians, 362; Hermit for Pope, 363; Philip the Fair and the Pope, 364; Pope of Fourteenth Century, 365; Wicliff, the Reformer, 365; The Popes at Avignon, 366; The Rival Popes, 367; Three Popes at one Time, 368; Pope John XXIII., 370; Owl Attending a Council, 370; Sale of Indulgences, 371; Bishop Inviting his Old Master, 372; Sultan who Abdicated, 372; Pope Nicholas V., 373; Fop Elected Pope, 374; Pope Leo X., 375; Turning Pagan into Christian Monuments, 376; The Inquisition, 377; Spanish Inquisition at Work, 379; Torquemada, 379; An Auto-da-Fè in Spain, 380; Assassination of Inquisitor, 380; Cardinal Ximenes, 381; Irrepressible Heretics, 382; Waldenses, 382; Lawyer for Pope, 383.

CHAPTER XII.

SACRED LEGENDS.

Lives of Saints, 385; Christian Legends, 385; How Legends Grow, 386; Thundering Legion, 387; The Theban Legion, 387; The Divining Rod, 387; St. George and the Dragon, 388; St. Christina, 389; St. Christopher, 389; Hallelujah Victory, 391; Prophecies of Merlin, 391; Devil Showing a Book, 392; Wandering Jew, 392; St. Sabas, 393; Theophilus and the Devil, 393; Holy Grail, 394; Seven Sleepers, 394; Little Blind Herve, 395; Supper of St. Gregory, 395; St. Gregory Releasing Trajan, 395; St. Bega, 397; St. Fructuosus and the Doe, 397; Pope Joan, 398; Bishop Hatto, 398; St. Conrad, 399; The Piper of Hameln, 399; Lady Godiva, 399; Sacred Fire in Greek Church, 400; Superstitions of the Greek Church, 401; Prester John, 401; Loretto, 401; King Richard I.’s Story, 402; St. Francis and his Love of Birds, 403; Bonaventura, on St. Francis, 405; St. Antony Preaching to the Fishes, 406; St. Roch, 407.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE CRUSADERS AND PILGRIMS.

Monk Historian on the Crusades, 408; Crusades Beneficial, 408; Practice of Pilgrimages, 409; Early Travels in Palestine, 410; Ways of Pilgrims, 410; Peter the Hermit, 411; Pope Urban II., 413; Hunger for Earth of Palestine, 413; Getting Rid of Spies, 414; Discovering the Holy Lance, 415; Testing a Doubtful Point, 417; First Sight of Jerusalem, 417; Assaulting Jerusalem, 418; Capturing Jerusalem, 419; First Visit to the Holy Places, 419; A Second Crusade, 420; French Queen as Crusader, 421; St. Bernard on his Crusade, 422; Bringing Relics, 422; Another Crusade, 423; Emperor’s Crusadership, 423; Fulk of Neuilly, 424; Death of Richard I., 424; French Pillaging Constantinople, 425; Crusaders against Heretics, 425; The Albigenses, 427; Children’s Crusade, 428; Preaching of Crusade, 428; Escaping the Crusader, 429; Master of Hungary, 430; Deathbed of St. Louis, 430; Crusaders on their Way Home, 431; Bequeathing a Heart as Crusader, 432; Knights Templars, 433; Faith in Providence, 434; Columbus Crusader, 435; Numbers of Crusaders, 436; Greek Church, 437.

CHAPTER XIV.

SOME GREAT CHURCHES AND CATHEDRALS.

Early Church Architecture, 438; Coptic Church, 439; Spires, Towers, and Dimensions of Cathedrals, 440; Gothic Cathedrals, 440; Altar, 441; Incense and Holy Water, 442; St. Peter’s at Rome, 442; The Sistine Chapel, 443; Genoa and Turin, 444; Milan, 445; Florence and Pisa, 446; Naples, 447; Santiago Compostella, 448; Leon, 449; Seville and Toledo, 450; Cordova and Amalfi, 451; Valencia and Oviedo, 452; Paris, Marseilles, and Strasburg, 453; Amiens, 454; Rheims and Aix-la-Chapelle, 455; Treves and Antwerp, 456; Cologne and St. Petersburg, 457; Vienna and Constantinople, 458; Mosque of Omar and Jerusalem, 459; Bethlehem, 460; British Churches and St. Paul’s, 461; Canterbury and York, 463; Durham, 465; Winchester and Oxford, 466; Peterborough, 467; Salisbury and Wells, 468; Other English Cathedrals, 469; Welsh Cathedrals, 471.

CHAPTER XV.

THE SACRED PAINTERS AND COMPOSERS.

Pictures in Churches, 472; Monk Painter, 472; Pictures in Monasteries, 473; Sacro Monte, 473; Images in Spain, 474; Cimabue, 475; Bishop’s Ape Takes to Painting, 475; Painter’s Critics, 477; Nuns Criticising Artist, 477; Brother Artists Rivals, 478; Painter Affronting Angel, 479; Angelico, 479; Bronzes for the Gates of Paradise, 480; Old Painters’ Perspective, 481; Monks Overfeeding Artist, 481; A Clumsy Crucifix, 482; Killed by a Sight of Gold, 482; Artist Deceiving Birds and Beasts, 483; Finding a Model, 483; A Divine Artist, 484; Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper, 485; Raphael’s Pictures, 487; A Last Masterpiece, 489; The Inquisition on Sacred Art, 490; Painting Face of Christ, 491; Assisting Artist with Prayers, 492; Michael Angelo, 492; Vargas’s Devotion to Sacred Art, 496; Titian’s Head of Christ, 496; Diffident Artist, 496; Rubens’s Great Pictures, 497; Monks Getting a Bargain of Picture, 498; Velasquez’s Crucifixion, 498; How Monks Got Pictures, 499; The Divine Murillo, 499; Cano’s Picture of the Virgin, 500; A Painter Incautiously Watching Effects, 501; Origin of Church Bells, 501; Sanctity of Bells, 502; Chimes on Church Bells, 502; The Swiss Horns, 402; Early Church Music, 503; Singing in Church, 503; Origin of Singing in Church Service, 504; The Organ in Church Music, 504; Augustine Converting the Britons with Music, 506; The Earliest Hymns, 506; Monk Musicians, 506; Nicholas Peregrinus, 507; Heresy Propagated by Music, 507; The Pope Reforming Church Music, 508; Singing the Miserere, 508; Luther’s Church Music, 509; Originator of Oratorios, 509; The Heaven-born Composer of Anthems, 510; First Impressions of Handel, 511.

FLOWERS OF CHRISTIAN HISTORY.